Following the departure of Larry Peterson, the Campus Ministries has appointed three new directors to lead the Ministries Music Program in coming changes. Seeing this as an opportunity for innovation, Dr. Sonja Hurty, Dr. Jon Hurty, and Benjamin Holmes are innovating what kind of music is played at the Ministries’ services.
While, for now, most of the ensembles are sticking to their generally accepted repertoires, the Augustana Ringers, under the direction of Benjamin Holmes, is beginning to change up how they perform. With the use of a monitor, the choir is bringing more contemporary music to the service. Artists such as Casting Crowns and Hillsong United, Christian Rock bands, are being introduced to the services.
Emily Graziano, a student in the Augustana Ringers, considers one the greatest parts of worship being the collective service singing along to hymns and other songs. From this, she notes the concern some students have regarding the new songs, as they are less familiar, making singing along difficult.
This is where the new monitor, which hangs in the Chapel, is expected to come in. It will allow the services to display lyrics, readings, and more in an effort to move towards becoming paperless while still keeping the idea of community alive.
In hope, the testing with the Augustana Ringers will go well, and the contemporary music will be mixed with traditional hymns to give a more modern experience. If this happens, expect to see the other ensembles incorporating more contemporary music as well.
The Campus Ministries hosts four regular services: Tuesday Morning Reflection (11:30a), Wednesday Night Chapel (9:30p), Sunday Morning Worship (10:30a), and Sunday Evening Catholic Mass (5p). Sandra and Jon Hurty handle the Tuesday and Sunday morning sessions, while Benjamin Holmes handles the Wednesday service. For those interested in joining an ensemble, the Augustana Ringers and Sunday evening choirs are widely inclusive and open to new members.